The present invention relates generally to shower systems, and more particularly, to a barrier-free drainage apparatus which allows a person to directly enter a shower stall without having to substantially elevate any portion of the body. Many bathtubs and shower stalls are adapted to accommodate invalids, elderly people, or others who find it difficult to raise their legs to step over the front wall of a shower pan or bathtub. These bathtubs typically include rotatable seats, hydraulically powered lifts, or other devices which transfer a person over the bathtub wall. Some shower stalls include a relatively low front wall to facilitate passage into the stall. Such a low threshold presents a trip hazard to ambulatory users who often drag their feet and/or walkers. A low front wall is also a danger to people with partial vision since it is more difficult to see.
The bathtub disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,508 (Moran) allows a person to enter without stepping or being transferred over a sidewall. In Moran, the bathtub has a fixed portion and an end portion which is movable between an open and closed position. A person may either enter the bathtub when the end portion is in an open position, or sit on the end portion while it makes to abut and align itself with the fixed portion of the bathtub. One disadvantage of this type of bathtub is the difficulty of maintaining a watertight seal between the moveable and fixed portions of the bathtub. The bathtub disclosed in Moran also tends to be cumbersome and costly.
Furthermore, conventional shower pans typically have a platform which slopes toward a single drain hole in the center of the platform. Side walls of these platforms, including the front wall, must be relatively high to accommodate the slope of the platform and prevent water from flowing out of the shower pan. One such shower pan having a single drain hole in the center of the platform is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 255,829 (Swensen). The shower pan in Swensen has no front wall and includes a front portion which slopes downward away from the drainhole. Although the Swensen shower pan is barrier-free, it shows no means for preventing water from flowing out of the shower pan onto a bathroom floor.